In this article, our main focus will be on the best JavaScript frameworks and libraries to use in 2024.

JavaScript is the most popular language on the web. If you have ever worked with JavaScript, then you know that it requires a lot of effort to develop and maintain a broad application. 

When beginner developers start learning JavaScript, they get attracted to JavaScript frameworks and libraries.

So, do you use any JavaScript frameworks and libraries? most probably you do.

Frameworks vs libraries

JavaScript framework is backing for structures, HTTP solicitations, and a great deal more. It’s a finished toolbox for building a web application. 

Frameworks are bigger than libraries. They include everything you may need to build applications.

A framework can be very helpful for developers to write applications without having to handle such low-level details.

Javascript Library is a set of functions, methods, or features to simplify the development process.

These libraries can be easily integrated into your projects, allowing you to quickly implement specific functionalities without having to write the code from scratch.

You can use JavaScript libraries to accomplish various tasks, such as handling DOM manipulation, making AJAX requests, managing user interface components, or creating animations.

But a perfect choice can depend on developer-specific needs, preferences, and skill levels.

Every JavaScript Front-end framework and library is good for doing something and probably bad to do something else.

Some may be great at certain tasks while not performing as well in others.

It is crucial to carefully assess your individual needs and project requirements before choosing the most suitable framework, ensuring a smooth and successful development process.

Best JavaScript Front-end frameworks and libraries in 2024

So, without further ado, let’s get started with our list of the best JavaScript frameworks and libraries to use in 2024.

1. Svelte

Svelte is a JavaScript framework for building UI components. Just like React, Angular, or Vue. But unlike its peers, which ship a JavaScript runtime to the browser to make your code work, Svelte is a compiler. 

Svelte is a JavaScript framework
Svelte

Svelte transforms your preferred declarative code into imperative code that works seamlessly with native browser APIs, resulting in highly efficient code in a compact package.

Most notably, it is an incredibly enjoyable JavaScript framework to work with.

As a result, you get highly performant code in a very small package. But most importantly, it’s the only JavaScript framework that’s actually enjoyable to use. 

Components are created in .svelte files, which comprise three main sections: a script for JavaScript (or TypeScript) code, a style tag for CSS (or a preprocessor like SASS), and the primary template represented as HTML.

However, this is no ordinary HTML; it has been enhanced with additional syntax for writing declarative code.

To create reactive state, simply define a variable using the let keyword and reference it dynamically in the HTML using braces:

let count = 0;
<p>{count}</p>

Modify the state by defining a function and binding it as the handler to a DOM event using on:

<button on:click={() => count++}>Increment</button>

Svelte’s syntax empowers you to write clear conditional logic or loops in your template:

{#if condition}
  <p>Condition met.</p>
{:else}
  <p>Condition not met.</p>
{/if}

{#each items as item}
  <li>{item}</li>
{/each}

For cross-component communication, Svelte offers various strategies to share data between components. To pass data from parent to child, use Props by adding the export keyword to a variable:

export let message;
<ChildComponent message="{message}" />

To handle a large number of Props, use the spread syntax for cleaner code. For more complex component trees, Svelte provides a context API similar to React.

Moreover, Svelte introduces Stores, which function like observables and can be shared anywhere in the component tree. To subscribe to a Store in the template, prepend a dollar sign ($):

<p>{$store}</p>

Once your impressive UI is complete, use the compiler to convert it into Vanilla JavaScript. For a comprehensive web application, SvelteKit allows you to implement server-side rendering, routing, and code splitting rapidly.

2. Solid

Solid is a declarative JavaScript framework designed for constructing speedy UIs while maintaining maximum control over reactivity. Developed by Ryan Carneto in 2018, it has gained popularity among developers for its practicality and exceptional performance.

Solid is a declarative JavaScript framework
Solid

On the surface, Solid shares many similarities with React, as components are JavaScript functions that return JSX for the UI. However, unlike React, there is no virtual DOM.

Solid uses a compiler, much like Svelte, which converts your code into vanilla JavaScript to bring you closer to the DOM.

The framework itself is lightweight, at only 6.7KB, and excels in runtime performance benchmarks without the need for any additional tricks or unconventional hacks in your code.

Most importantly, Solid is genuinely reactive, as a function component is only called once.

This unique feature enables developers to use setInterval predictably.

To manage changing data or state at the top level, Solid utilizes the createSignal primitive, which returns a getter and setter.

The framework observes this data and updates its precise location in the DOM when it changes, instead of re-rendering the entire component.

Solid a New Era

To start, generate a new Solid project using Vite as the build tool. This process should be familiar if you have experience with React.

Define a component as a plain JavaScript function:

function MyComponent() {
  // ...
}

When defining the UI with JSX, you receive an actual DOM element rather than a framework abstraction:

const [count, setCount] = createSignal(0);

To add reactive state to a component, use the createSignal function, which provides a getter and setter. The getter is a function, allowing the framework to observe the current value reactively.

You can create derived state by defining another function based on the original signal.

Additionally, Solid provides a function to memoize the return value for resource-intensive computations.

In some cases, you may want to execute code when your data changes. For this, createEffect allows you to run side effects.

Signals referenced in the function’s body will automatically be subscribed to, re-running the side effect when the value changes:

createEffect(() => {
  console.log(`Count: ${count()}`);
});

Solid also offers onMount and onCleanup functions that tap into the beginning and end of the component lifecycle.

The framework makes JSX more developer-friendly, with components like Show for conditional logic and For for simplifying loops over a collection of items:

<Show when={condition}>
  <p>Condition met.</p>
</Show>

<For each={items} children={(item) => <li>{item}</li>} />

Solid also provides a createStore function for handling nested reactivity in collections and supports custom directives with the use keyword, which is an efficient way to attach custom behaviors to different elements.

Additionally, Solid comes with everything you would expect from a modern framework, such as lazy loading, context, SSR support, and more.

3. Qwik

Qwik is a web framework that, like others, renders a component tree to create an interactive application. However, its uniqueness lies in its approach to achieving its goals.

Qwik is a web framework
Qwik

Qwik aims to deliver instant-on applications, even on mobile devices, through two primary strategies:

  1. Delay the execution and download of JavaScript as long as possible.
  2. Serialize the application and framework’s execution state on the server and resume it on the client.

Its objective is to minimize the application’s download and execution requirements.

Qwik applications start up quickly due to minimal JavaScript code execution. In its simplest form, a Qwik application only requires about 1KB of JavaScript to become interactive.

By delaying the application download and execution aggressively, Qwik can offer near-instant startup performance that current web frameworks cannot match.

import { component$ } from '@builder.io/qwik';
 
export default component$(() => {
  return (
    <>
      <p>Parent Text</p>
      <Child />
    </>
  );
});
 
const Child = component$(() => {
  return <p>Child Text</p>;
});

 Qwik components are already lazy loaded thanks to the $ sign.

It is designed to address the size problem from the ground up.

Its primary goal is a small bundle size, with all other design decisions subordinate to that goal.

Qwik doesn’t aim to create less JavaScript but instead to avoid shipping all JavaScript to the client at once during application startup.

Qwik emerges when the idea of “delay loading of JavaScript” is taken to the extreme.

Although Qwik requires a different mindset and application design, the result is near-zero initial JavaScript with progressive JavaScript download based on user interactions.

4. React

React is a widely-used JavaScript library for building user interfaces, developed and maintained by Facebook.

React is a widely-used JavaScript library
React

It offers a declarative approach to programming, making it easier for developers to reason about the application state and predict its behavior.

React has a strong ecosystem and community, providing a wealth of tools, libraries, and resources to support developers in creating robust applications.

React employs the concept of components, which are reusable pieces of code that can be easily combined to build complex UIs.

Components in React are JavaScript functions that return JSX, a syntax extension for JavaScript that resembles HTML.

JSX is used to define the structure and appearance of the user interface.

React’s performance optimization strategy is based on the virtual DOM, which is an in-memory representation of the actual DOM.

Instead of making direct changes to the real DOM, which can be slow and inefficient, React updates the virtual DOM and then calculates the difference (or “diff”) between the two DOMs.

This process, called “reconciliation,” helps React to minimize the number of DOM manipulations required to achieve the desired state of the UI.

In React, data flows in one direction, making it easier to trace how data is passed through the application and to prevent unintended side effects.

State management in React can be handled through its built-in useState hook for local component state, or with external libraries like Redux for more complex, global state management.

More memory-intensive React

Here’s an example of a simple React component:

import React, { useState } from 'react';

function Counter() {
  const [count, setCount] = useState(0);

  const increment = () => {
    setCount(count + 1);
  };

  return (
    <div>
      <p>Count: {count}</p>
      <button onClick={increment}>Increment</button>
    </div>
  );
}

export default Counter;

In this example, the Counter component has a local state managed by the useState hook. The increment function updates the state, and React takes care of re-rendering the component with the updated count value.

React provides a robust and mature ecosystem, with support for server-side rendering through frameworks like Next.js, functional programming patterns, and a wide range of third-party libraries and tools that can be used to extend its capabilities.

However, it’s worth noting that React’s reliance on the virtual DOM can result in a more memory-intensive application compared to some other frameworks like Svelte, and it requires developers to learn JSX syntax.

5. Vue

Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework for building user interfaces that is both approachable and versatile. Created by Evan You in 2014, it has gained popularity for its simplicity, ease of integration, and strong performance.

Vue.js is a progressive JavaScript framework
Vue

Vue.js allows developers to build small to large-scale applications while maintaining a clear separation of concerns between components and logic.

Like React and Solid, Vue.js components are JavaScript functions that return a template to define the structure of the UI.

Vue.js uses a template syntax similar to HTML, with directives for binding data and handling events. This makes it easy to read and understand the structure of the UI, even for those who are not familiar with Vue.js.

Vue.js uses a reactive data system, which means that when the data changes, the UI updates automatically.

To manage state, Vue.js offers the data object for local component state and Vuex for more complex, global state management.

Here’s an example of a simple Vue.js component:

<template>
  <div>
    <p>Count: {{ count }}</p>
    <button @click="increment">Increment</button>
  </div>
</template>

<script>
export default {
  data() {
    return {
      count: 0,
    };
  },
  methods: {
    increment() {
      this.count++;
    },
  },
};
</script>

In this example, the Counter component has a local state managed by the data object, and the increment method updates the state. Vue.js automatically handles updating the UI when the count value changes.

Vue.js provides a flexible and easy-to-use ecosystem with a gentle learning curve, making it an excellent choice for developers who are new to front-end frameworks.

It supports features like server-side rendering through frameworks like Nuxt.js, component-based architecture, and a wide range of plugins and libraries for extending its capabilities.

However, Vue.js may not be as performant as some other frameworks like Svelte or Solid in certain scenarios due to its reactive data system, which relies on a virtual DOM-like approach for updates.

A Quick Comparison of Javascript Frameworks & Libraries

This table provides a high-level comparison of the main features and differences between React, Solid, Svelte, Qwik, and Vue.js. Remember that each framework has its own strengths and weaknesses, and the best choice will depend on the specific requirements and goals of your project.

FrameworkDeclarative ProgrammingVirtual/Real DOMState ManagementComponent-basedServer-side RenderingEcosystem & CommunityLanguage / SyntaxOther Features
ReactYesVirtual DOMExternal libraries (e.g., Redux)YesWith Next.js or other librariesLargeJavaScript / JSXOne-way data flow, functional programming, Flux architecture pattern, extensive SVG support
SolidYesNo virtual DOMBuilt-in reactivityYesYesGrowingJavaScript / JSXFine-grained reactivity, memoization, custom directives, lazy loading
SvelteYesCompiler-basedBuilt-in reactivityYesWith SvelteKitGrowingSvelte-specificNo virtual DOM, reactive declarations, stores, context API, compact bundle size
QwikYesNot specifiedNot specifiedYesYesNew and emergingJavaScript / JSXInstant-on applications, delay execution and download, serialization & resumability
Vue.jsYesVirtual DOMVue’s reactivity systemYesWith Nuxt.jsLargeJavaScript / Vue-specificFlexible integration, functional programming, one-way data flow

The Survey

Based on the information gathered by the stateofjs survey, we have some valuable insights to share.

Ratios Over Time:

  • React, Vue.js, and Angular have been prominent frameworks from 2016 to 2022, with varying levels of awareness, usage, interest, and retention.
  • Newer frameworks like Svelte, Alpine.js, Lit, Solid, and Qwik have gradually gained developers’ awareness and interest.
  • React seems to be the most popular, with the highest ratios in awareness, usage, interest, and retention.
  • Preact and Ember have also been present for a few years but show lower usage and interest ratios compared to ReactJs, Vue.js, and Angular.

Positive/Negative Split:

  • React, Svelte, and Vue.js have a higher positive sentiment among developers, indicating that a larger percentage of developers would use them again or are interested in learning them.
  • Solid and Qwik seem to have a moderate positive sentiment, with more developers interested in learning them or using them again compared to those who are not interested or wouldn’t use them again.
  • Angular, Stencil, and Ember have relatively lower positive sentiment, which means that a higher percentage of developers are not interested in them or wouldn’t use them again.

From this analysis, it’s clear that React, Vue.js, and Angular have been the dominant front-end frameworks for some time. However, newer frameworks like Svelte, Kwik, and Solid are gaining traction and might be worth exploring.

Conclusion

In conclusion, choosing the right JavaScript framework for your project depends on various factors such as performance, ease of use, learning curve, and specific requirements.

React, Svelte, Solid, Qwik, Vue.js, and Angular each have their unique strengths and weaknesses, as illustrated in the comparison table.

React is widely adopted and offers a mature ecosystem, but it may be verbose and memory-intensive. Svelte provides excellent performance due to its compile-time optimizations but may require learning new concepts.

Solid offers true reactivity and impressive performance, while Qwik focuses on instant-on applications by minimizing JavaScript download and execution.

Vue.js is an approachable and versatile framework with a gentle learning curve, but it may not be as performant as some of its counterparts in certain scenarios.

Before making a decision, carefully consider the specific needs of your project and weigh the trade-offs among these frameworks.

Each framework has its strengths and weaknesses, so selecting the right one will ultimately depend on the unique requirements and constraints of your project.